|
1
|
Yu X, Miao L, Zhu J, Liang J, Dai L, Li X, Li Q, Rao R, Yuan C, Wang Y, He C, Kang L. Social and environmental risk factors for unintentional suffocation among infants in China: a descriptive analysis. BMC Pediatr 2021; 21:465. [PMID: 34674663 PMCID: PMC8532275 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-02925-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This retrospective study aimed to determine the epidemiological features of deaths caused by unintentional suffocation among infants in China. Methods The data used in this study were obtained from China’s Under 5 Child Mortality Surveillance System (U5CMSS) from October 1, 2015, to September 30, 2016. A total of 377 children under 1 year of age who died from unintentional suffocation were included in the survey. Primary caregivers were interviewed individually using the Unintentional Suffocation Mortality among Children under 5 Questionnaire. EpiData was used to establish the database, and the results were analysed using SPSS 22.0. Results Most (85.9%) unintentional infant suffocations occurred in rural areas, and 67.5% occurred in infants 0 to 3 months old. Among the primary caregivers of the infants, most (82.7%) had a junior middle school education or below, and 83.1% of them lacked unintentional suffocation first aid skills. Of the 377 unintentional suffocated-infant deaths, the causes of death were accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (ASSB) (193, 51.2%), inhalation suffocation (154, 40.8%), other unintentional suffocation (6, 1.6%), and unknown (24, 6.4%). Among the infant deaths due to ASSB, overlaying (88.6%) was the most frequently reported circumstance. A total of 93.8% of cases reported occurred during co-sleeping/bed sharing with parents, and in 72.8% of the cases, the infants were covered with the same quilt as their parents. In our study, most inhalation suffocation deaths (88.3%) involved liquid food (such as breast milk and formula milk). A total of 80.5% of infant deaths reportedly occurred after eating; in 28.2% of those cases, the infants were held upright and patted by their caregivers, and 57.2% of them were laid down to sleep immediately after eating. Conclusions To reduce the occurrence of unintentional suffocation, local government should strengthen knowledge and awareness of unintentional suffocation prevention and safety among parents and caregivers. Additionally, health care providers should educate parents and caregivers about safety issues of unintentional suffocation, and relevant policies should be introduced to provide environments and activities that reduce the risk of suffocation, such as promoting the Safe to Sleep Campaign. It is important to enhance the focus on infant unintentional suffocation as a health issue. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12887-021-02925-4.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yu
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lei Miao
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jun Zhu
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of the Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Liang
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Li Dai
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaohong Li
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qi Li
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Rui Rao
- Department of Pediatrics, the people's hospital of Leshan, Leshan, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunhua Yuan
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Renshou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Meishan, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanping Wang
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunhua He
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Leni Kang
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| |
Collapse
|